Ramen Wars: Rai Rai Ken Shows Off Its New Weapon

Forget Iran testing nukes — a couple of months ago Rai Rai Ken stealthily unleashed its new weapon, mabo ramen. When we asked the owner, who goes by the name Mr. K., if he was the first to start serving the Chinese-inspired soup (made with a soy sauce–based broth, tofu, ground beef, spicy chile, ginger, and scallion), he said he believed so. His chef, after all, is Chinese. But mabo, which Mr. K. admits is a Japanese favorite, is also available at nearby Menkui Tei and at Sapporo, in midtown. Props to Rai Rai Ken for adding it to the menu, but isn’t claiming to have the only mabo in town something akin to Photoshopping in a fourth missile?